TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Crews began demolition on a Tampa building, a project which is expected to cause significant delays to drivers in downtown Tampa.

The old GTE building is located on the northwest corner of Tampa and Twiggs Streets at 601 N. Ashley Drive.

Photos of the demolition show the building, with the top half gutted and exposed as it is taken apart.

The 12- story building is located at the corner of Twiggs and Tampa streets.

“The demolition of the Wallace building really is just the next chapter in the development of downtown Tampa,” Rodney Kite-Powell.

But as cranes keep bringing down pipes, cement, and metal. Historians say you can see decades of progress unravel as layers of construction get torn apart.

“A lot of these early buildings, even the taller ones, were made of brick… but over time, as that style of architecture fell out of favor…many buildings having a stucco exterior applied to that brick, and even neon signs applied as well to make them look more suburban,” Kite-Powell said.

Back in the 1920’s, it was called the Wallace Building, and it housed the Tampa Tribune and was built by the newspaper’s founder, Wallace Stovall. Historians say the structure was a testament to the success of print media in the 1920’s.

“It’s where news was delivered, but also where people found jobs.  People found homes, and even love, you know, personal ads. So there are all kinds of aspects of daily life that were wrapped up in the paper, literally and figuratively,” Stovall told 8 On Your Side.

The building was significantly altered in the 70’s as it changed ownership, so it did not qualify to be designated a ‘historic property’, and while new construction symbolizes Tampa’s growth,

The city did say that starting Monday, May 18, through Saturday, May 30, North Tampa Street will be reduced to one lane because of the demolition.

“That’s going to add a lot of time to a lot of people’s commute every day, I think, including mine,” Taylor Goldner, who lives next to the demolition site, said.

‘Stock Development’ now owns the plot of land, and told NewsChannel this afternoon that they are still in the planning process of development. Details on what will be built at 601 N Ashley Drive should come out later this year.

A traffic advisory was issued alerting Tampa drivers that starting Monday, May 18, through Saturday, May 30, North Tampa Street will be reduced to one lane.

Listed below are suggested alternate routes:

From the north: use Scott St. eastbound to Jefferson St. southbound

From I-275 northbound: take Downtown East / Scott St.  (Exit 44) to Jefferson St. southbound

From I-275 southbound and I-4 westbound: take Downtown East / Jefferson St. (Exit 45A) to Pierce St. southbound

Drivers should plan accordingly and allow for extra travel time.

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